The Girl with the Red Cloak
by just8boutany6
Summary: Katarina Stark is the oldest of children born to Catelyn and Eddard Stark. She is driven by her duty to her family and will consent to do anything that they ask of her, even if that means marry a certain Jaime Lannister. Starts off a bit pre-show, then will continue on with the series. All rights to George R.R. Martin.
1. Chapter 1

The eldest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn of house Tully remembers when her mother was still carrying her younger brother Robb inside her. She barely remembers her Aunt Lyanna taking her horseback riding through the Wolfs wood, and even less the time that Lyanna left the north never to return again. She remembers when her father's grim form left Winterfell to go and fight with Robert Baratheon's Rebellion, and when her father returned with a bastard. She remembers when Theon Greyjoy was brought back from another Rebellion this time it was defending the crown not taking it. She remembers many things but the one thing that time will not fad from her mind would be the day she met Jaime Lannister.

Katarina Stark stood motionless by the heart tree in the god's wood. Winterfell was hastily making preparations for the quests that were due to arrive any day. Kat stood with all the poise that a young lady of court, she stood with a kind of meekness in her features. Though if one looked close enough you would see the character hiding in her eyes, the pride, defiance, and grace. Mostly you see the eyes that have been through a thousand trials, cried through a thousand endless nights, and laughed through a thousand jokes. Eyes that have scene many, and will see many more days.

As she stood the wind whistled quietly through the wood, her father once told her that was how the old gods spoke to them. All that you had to do was listen, as she figured out many times when life seems to be twisting in odd ways. Kat stood patiently praying and hoping that the gods would answer her, she was lost. Unable to straighten out her thoughts concerning the news that she had been told that morning.

"Jaime Lannister."

As if testing the name on her lips for the first time, just saying his name brought forth a flow of emotions and questions. Fear - would he be gentle as a husband, concern - all the things that people say he has done, and hope – that all of her worries would be for nought. When Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn first told their eldest child that she was to marry Sir Jaime Lannister, she didn't have much to say. Only that she agreed to the marriage that it was her duty to her family, to marry a Lord or Sir of Westeros. This didn't last long as she soon questioned her father and mother.

"Why"

"King Robert has requested it."

"I thought Sir Jaime was of the Kings guard, bound to a lifetimes service to the king taking now wife and fathering no children?"

"The king does as he likes sweet girl, all we can do is honor his trust."

"I won't dishonor your command father, but I only wonder, the Kingslayer?"

"The king knows that the relationship between the Starks and the Lannisters is nothing more than an understanding in that both hate each other, you know it I know it, all we can do is try to mend this for the honor we hold for the realm. "

"For the better of the realm."

"Kat, he will honor you as a true husband, if he doesn't he will have Ice cut through that Southern neck of his in the Northern fashion. That is if Robert wouldn't kill him first."

"What of the Kings guard, they simply let him go?"

"The Kings guard's duty is to their king, and the king wished for Sir Jaime to be let go." Lady Catelyn speaking for the first time in the conversation.

"Do you consent Katarina?"

"Of course father, as I said before it is my duty to my family and to Winterfell."

"Good because they are arriving here with in the next few days."


	2. Chapter 2

It was warm in the north, the sun shines high in the sky and birds sing in the god's wood, a very rare thing indeed that the old gods would bless such a time with so much beauty. Katarina once again stood at the base of the heart tree, the place where she so many times pestered her father during his prayers. That time had long since passed though as Kat now was a woman grown older than Robb by 3 years. She held all the looks of a true northern woman, as well as some of the southern looks from her mother. This day was different for Kat she couldn't focus her gratitude for the blessings given from the gods, but instead wondered endlessly what life would hold for her in the South.

Today was the day all would change for Katarina, as marriage often changes a person. Even though time was nearing for Kat to be elsewhere, she couldn't budge from her solitude. She was at an impasse, struck between honor, duty and family; with her family words haunting her like a winter wind, 'winter is coming."

'I see the sun, and I hear the birds, and I smell the air, and I thank you for them.' I think as I stare into the bleeding eyes of the hear tree's face. Although I thought these prayers I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like as a southern lady, as a Lannister. All these things scared me beyond words. I would like nothing more than to marry some northern lord and have his children while still being granted the freedom of the north. Thought I am a Stark and want does not come before my honor. 'Yet what honor did Jaime Lannister have?'

The kingslayer they called the knight, killing the king he swore to protect, pledged his life to. This was what the others thought of Jaime Lannister in the north. It was not the kingslaying that gave me doubts about Jaime, it was the idea that every woman and man across Westeros and beyond swooned over him. The man knew that he was thought of, it didn't matter if it was over his looks or his skill with a blade, even his kingslaying act brought him arrogance. The Lion of Lannister as some call him, 'yes all Lannisters are lions, even the Imp Tyrion. Though they were feared for there coin more than anything else and it did help having a great swordsman as the heir to Casterly Rock.' I will not lie and say that I do not think Jaime Lannister a great warrior, but there is no honor in bribing the opponent off rather than fight him.

Yes Jaime Lannister my own 'lion.' It doesn't matter if I love him or not, plenty of women have married without it and plenty more women will after I am dead. If I must not marry for love than I will do it as my duty: to my family, to my house, to the realm. I knew it is imperative the Lannisters and the Starks get along for the better of the realm.

Being in the god's wood always helped me get my thoughts sorted. 'It is time I grow up, I must marry him, otherwise they will just force Sansa or Arya to marry one of their broad a few years down the road.' Walking back onto the grounds and into my rooms, my mother waiting impatiently for me, yet she doesn't scold me as I thought she would.

"Your hair will look lovely today, with the sunlight playing its tricks. Every beautiful color will shine through: gold, bronze, red…such a lovely shade of hair. You look like your father but I am grateful you have a little of me in you, only the sun can show the red in your hair but all the same it's a bit of me."

I knew my mother was trying to keep a happy face on for me but she still had to let go of her first child to a man that lived far away, and a less than honorable reputation.

"Mother you flatter me, don't worry you will see me again I will not be gone forever, and I am far from an exquisite beauty."

"You are a Stark my love, and a Stark you will always be no matter where you go your true northern beauty will shine through."

I know that my mother will miss me while I go south. She was a southerner; she knows more than I what I am heading into. I know that any mother who loves her child would want to come with them to protect them, but she couldn't this time. My father then came in after hesitantly knocking and asking if I was decent, accompanied by a grey cloak. After she had finished preparing me all that was left was the maidens cloak, a thick grey cloak with a white dire wolf on the back. 'The last day I will be Katarina Stark and become Katarina Lannister.'

"Remember love the wolf that goes off alone will perish, but the wolf that stays in the pack will dwell on."

"I will have to start my own pack soon then, though there will be lions in the mix. Thank you for the cloak father it fits will."

"Sansa finished it this morning, it looks lovely on you Katarina."

"Thank you father, I hope that my future husband thinks so too."

I haven't had much time with Jaime, but enough to know that he will treat me well enough. That if anything is there to grow in our relationship it will in time.

"It is time everything is ready my lady."

My mother and father shared a look after the maid gave the news. I knew that life would never be as simple as it was now, and soon I would be a wolf amongst lions, without my pack. In the middle of the lion's den I will travel. Be if I must prosper without help from my husband, I will show the southern lords and ladies what a true northerner can do, what a true Stark can be capable of.


End file.
